Saturday, March 19, 2016

Two years ago, then Milwaukee County Supervisor David Bowen led the way to the passage of a living wage resolution.

Two years ago today, March 19, Milwaukee County Emperor Chris Abele vetoed the resolution, claiming that it was too expensive to pay people $11.23 per hour even though he paid his staff more than $80.00 per hour. He predicted it would send the county into economic ruin.

Fortunately, the county board did not believe his scare tactics and overrode his veto.

And guess what! The county is doing just fine. Actually, Abele is boasting about the improved situation that would never have happened if his veto stood.

But Abele wasn't done with just a veto he knew would be overridden.

While the board was deliberating and passing the resolution, Abele was busy doing what he always does when he doesn't get his way. He was running to Madison, checkbook in hand, to cry on the shoulders of his Republican friends.

In order to thwart the county board's actions to help the working poor, Abele used both his own and the taxpayer's money to get the Republicans to pass a law banning living wage ordinances across the state. Oh, Abele tried to deny his involvement with the attempted ban of living wages, but the proof stated that - SHOCKER ALERT!!! - Abele lied about that too:

In other words, Boss Abele wanted to keep thousands of Milwaukeeans - most of them African Americans - living in poverty and would hurt working people across the state to do so.

In glaring contrast, his opponent in the upcoming election, State Senator Chris Larson, is very much in favor of the living wage. As a state senator, Larson co-authored a bill that would raise the minimum wage in increments to a living wage of $15.00 per hour by 2020.

While Abele thinks that you make too much money and that only his fellow plutocrats and his lackeys should be able to live well, Larson has vowed to work with the community to lift all boats.

On April 5, we must make sure we stand up for ourselves and our best interests by voting for Chris Larson.